Frozen foods undergo slow changes in storage and will
not retain their quality indefinitely. The length of
time that frozen products may be kept without loss of
quality depends on:

Proper handling before freezing

Packaging materials used

Storage temperature

Kind of food stored

Do not store frozen food too long. Use food first
that has been stored longest. Food storage varies
greatly for different products. Suggested lengths of
storage for some foods are:

beef - 6 to 12 months

ground beef, veal, lamb meats - 2 to 3 months

ground pork - 1 to 2 months

fish, moderate to high oil content - 2 to 3
months

fish, low oil content - 3 to 6 months

fruits & vegetables - 12 months or less

lamb - 6 to 9 months

liver - 1 to 2 months

oysters - 4 months

pork, fresh - 3 to 6 months

pork, cured (bacon, ham) - use within 1 month

sausage - 1 to 3 months

poultry - 6 months

shrimp in shell - 6 to 12 months

shrimp, peeled and deveined - 3 to 6 months

Thaw food properly, and use frozen food immediately
after it is thawed. Since all bacteria are not killed by
freezing, they become more active as the food thaws.
Therefore, foods should be thawed in the refrigerator to
minimize bacterial growth during thawing. If frozen food
is not used soon after thawing, food value will be lost
and spoilage will occur quickly. For more detailed
information, refer to MP 556, "Storing
Food in the Freezer" and GH 1501, "Freezing
Basics".